The Mind Reader Job
by Lizzy Pheonix
Summary: When Hardison's "Little Brother" makes an unexpected appearance at the gang's headquarters Eliot isn't inclined to trust him. Plus he just can't shake the feeling that he's seen the man somewhere before. Harry/Eliot
1. Chapter 1

Eliot leaned over the blueprints of the building as his team lead barked out instructions. The room they were in was actually a small storage shed that was too cramped to hold the five bulky men currently sandwiched inside. Outside there was a blizzard level snowstorm making visibility a joke. Which was the point of course.

"Wood will take point, Jacobs, White and Spencer will follow. You will enter through an unsecured window on the third floor. Move fast move quiet. Our intel tells us the package is being held here." The commander gestured to the map "In the far east corner of the sub-basement in a locked cell. Once in Spencer will be in charge of getting the package up to the roof. The rest will clear the way. Anyone you see you leave unconscious or dead, it's best to take them out before they go for a weapon. We'll be waiting with a Helicopter on the roof to take the package. You will have to find your own way out and scatter, payment will be into your account within twenty four hours of the retrieval. Any questions?"

There weren't any, Eliot was the youngest member on the crew and this was his first covert ops mission since he'd finished his training but he knew what he needed to do. No one had bothered to tell him what the package was but he knew enough to know it had to be a person. Still when they'd finally fought their way down and managed to blow the lock he stood in shock for a full three seconds before his mind kicked into gear.

The kid, for that's what 'the package' was a little kid, was unconscious. He was tiny and when Eliot lifted him he found him to be light as a feather. His face was a bloody mess with streaks of white shining through the red smeared everywhere else. He was nude, his body covered in bruises and cuts, his hair was dark and caked together from lack of washing. He was breathing, though Eliot could only tell by the slight movement against his hand when he had the kid pulled tightly into his chest.

The run to the roof was harder. The cell must have some sort of alarm on it because men seemed to just bleed out of the woodwork, all wearing strange black robes. Eliot let the others do what they were there to do, clearing a path and taking out guard after guard. More than once Eliot had to physically jump over a body to keep moving. Glancing down at his cargo he was startled by wide green eyes staring blurrily up at him.

"It's gonna be okay kid," Eliot assured him even has he had to use one had to punch back an attacker who'd made it past the others and was barreling toward Eliot. Another hard kick and the attacker was down. Eliot looked back down to see the kid smiling faintly, he tried not to wince at the blood on his teeth. The kid whispered something but between the noise of the fight and the boy's trauma Eliot didn't hear.

"Sorry kid didn't catch that," Eliot told him lifting the kid up almost like he was a baby so his face was resting on his shoulder next to his ear.

"Harry, my name is Harry." the boy rasped softly before releasing a soft sigh and falling limp.

Eliot tightened his grip on his once more unconscious cargo and ran faster. He let out a minute breath of relief as he threw open the door to the roof and saw the Copter waiting. He jogged up and handed the boy off to a waiting paramedic. The second they had him the helicopter began to rise. Eliot watched for only a minute.

"Good Luck Harry." He said softly before turning and heading back into the building. He needed to find an exit.

Eight Years Later

"Parker!" Nate snapped causing the blond's head to snap up in surprise. "I realize this is our headquarters but I also sleep upstairs. Can you please refrain from carving things into the tables."

Parker moved across the room to where Nate was sitting. They'd been back at headquarters for a little over an hour after finishing their last job. Across the room Eliot was watching sports on Nate's big screen with Hardison perched next to him simultaneously doing something on his computer as he watched the game.

"I didn't do that." Parker told Nate flatly "Why do you just assume it was me?"

Nate let out a frustrated sigh.

"Because Parker, I hardly think Hardison or Eliot would carve a lighting bolt into our table." Beside him Eliot felt Hardison stiffen and his head jerked up.

"Did you say a lighting bolt?" the hacker asked jumping to his feet and rushing across the room. Hardison looked down at the mark which had been carved into the table before shaking his head suddenly looking worried. He quickly began looking around as if expecting someone to pop up from behind a counter.

"Hardison!" Nate snapped getting his attention. "Is something wrong?"

"My little brother is here." Hardison responded before turning to open the closet behind him and look inside. "He likes to hide, he's probably somewhere dark and closed in."

"How would he get in? The doors were locked and your security system is supposed to be the best." Eliot demanded even as he moved to begin searching for Hardison's hidden sibling.

"My security is the best, but Harry's special. Locks can't keep him out if he really wants in." Hardison sounded proud.

"So what? He's a hacker like you?" Eliot asked but Hardison shook his head.

"Nah, Harry and computers don't mix. He's just. . .complicated. Oh and if you find him first don't look him in the eye." Eliot turned to question this strange order but Parker's voice interrupted.

"There's a false panel in the back wall, if he's small enough he could get in there. I like to squeeze in sometimes, you can move around the inside of the walls." Eliot gave her a disbelieving look but moved toward the area she'd been pointing toward. Lifting out the false panel he was only mildly surprised to find a young man asleep behind it.

"I thought you said he was your brother?" Eliot asked as Hardison hurried forward. Hardison rolled his eyes.

"Foster brother." The young man was a ghostly white with pitch black hair that stuck up at odd angles. Down the right side of his face, starting at the corner of his eye and descending down his cheek was a jagged lightning bolt shaped scar. His face was angular and handsome but he was rail thin.

"Harry-" Hardison spoke softly as he reached out to shake his brother awake "Wake up little bro, I'm back."

The whole team watched curiously as green eyes blinked open in lazy slow movements. The strangers face shifted into a half grin when his eyes focussed on Hardison.

"Hey Alec." Harry greeted as he yawned and moved out of the wall, closer to Hardison. To everyone's surprise Hardison quickly moved forward to embrace the stranger who was about a foot shorter. For a moment the man visibly stiffened before he seemed to relax and return the hug.

"Harry man, do you know how worried I've been? You're supposed to flag the system every three months! Every three months! I've not seen anything from you in a year." Hardison chided as he stepped back. Harry awkwardly ran a hand through his hair. His skin flushing a faint pink.

"A year? That's a long time, I guess I just. . .lost track." He offered with a far away gaze and for the first time Eliot caught the hint of an accent. Hardison looked unsurprised by this response.

"You look terrible, have you been eating?" Hardison asked eyeing Harry up and down. Harry frowned wrapping long thin arms around his emaciated torso.

"I eat." He replied.

"When was the last time you had something other than coffee?" Hardison asked skeptically. Harry seemed to consider.

"Umm. . .Wednesday." Hardison cursed.

"Harry today is Tuesday. Come on." Hardison tugged an unresisting Harry toward the kitchen table where Sophie still sat watching along with Nate. Parker, Eliot noted was standing slightly away watching the whole exchange intensely. Hardison ordered Harry to sit at the table and immediately went about frying him eggs and bacon along with a heavy serving of butter from the fridge. Eliot kept his eyes on the stranger. There was something strangely familiar about the young man that was nagging at him.

Nate refrained from asking questions until Hardison had placed the food on a plate in front of his brother and stood over him to ensure he had a bite before sitting down. Once Harry began to eat Nate pulled Hardison and the rest of the group aside. Eliot kept half an ear on the conversation but his eyes stayed on Harry, slowly working his way through the food Hardison had given him.

"So. . . your foster brother?" Nate asked. Hardison nodded.

"Yeah, Harry came to stay with us when we were fifteen. He'd been through some stuff and he's still. . .different. Before Nana died she made me promise to look after him."

"I thought you said he was your little brother?" Sophie asked and Hardison nodded.

"He's only six months younger than me, but sometimes he still needs looking after." Hardison explained.

"Is he disabled?" Nate asked looking confused but Hardison quickly shook his head.

"No-no not like you're thinking. Harry loses track of time, and he's never hungry so he'll forget to eat. But he's crazy smart. There's other stuff too but it's harder to explain." Hardison hesitated again and Eliot couldn't take the nagging anymore. He moved back to the table and sat down across from Harry.

"Hey, have we met before?" Eliot asked, causing Harry's head to snap up and their eyes to meet.

_Eliot is six years old the first time he notices the bruises on Sara Jane a little girl in his class at school. He doesn't understand them but he wants to protect her._

_Eliot is eight years old at Sara Jane's funeral. He's never hated anyone as much as he hates her daddy._

_Eliot is ten years old when he steps into the storage shed and locks the door behind him. The first day he thinks he will die. The second day he wishes he had and on the third day he steps out to find his dad there to clap him on the back and offer him a beer._

_Eliot is fourteen the first time he see's Aimee Martin and she's the prettiest girl in school._

_Eliot is seventeen and he brings Aimee flowers everyday for a week before she agrees to be his girl._

_Eliot is 20 years old. He loves his country and he wants to serve. Still when the man charges him and Eliot pulls the trigger he feels sick as the light drains from his eyes._

_Eliot is_- "Harry! Harry stop!"

Eliot jolted back to himself breathing heavily. Harry sat across from him now looking up at Hardison who had a hand clutched tightly on his shoulder.

"What's the rule Harry? Only on marks or with permission!"

"I-He asked a question, I wanted to know the answer." Harry responded looking slightly abashed but with a firm set to his jaw.

"That doesn't make it okay." Hardison told him scowling but Harry shrugged.

"What the hell just happened?" Eliot demanded Harry looked over at him meeting his eyes again but this time nothing happened.

"I know what's in your soul now." Harry told him, his lips quirking into a little smirk.

* * *

><p>Author's note: So somebody asked me to write this pairing and it set me off on an epic Leverage binge. This is what resulted. I've got another chapter almost finished but I thought I'd throw this up and see if there's really much interest. TA<p>

As Always

**PLEASE REVIEW**


	2. Chapter 2

There were several minutes of silence after Harry's odd pronouncement during which he returned to eating his eggs. Eliot looked over to Hardison with a scowl but the hacker just shrugged. As the silence continued Harry paused in his meal to look around. Catching the eyes of each of the group in turn but not lingering before turning to Hardison.

"Alec you'll have to say something, they're all very suspicious of me." Rather than Hardison replying however Nate spoke.

"How do you know that Harry?" he asked as he moved to sit down next to the younger man. Harry gave him a sort of amused smirk in response.

"Well that is the question isn't it?"

"Harry!" Hardison spoke suddenly, looking annoyed. Harry looked up and met his brother's eyes. There was silence as Harry simply stared into Hardison's eyes before suddenly looking away.

"I hadn't realized it was like that." Harry said softly.

"Well it is." Hardison responded with a hard look at his brother.

"Then tell them what you want." Harry said waving his hand dismissively and biting into a slice of bacon.

"Really?" Hardison asked incredulously "You're going to make me do it?"

"They're your friends." Harry told him disinterestedly.

Hardison turned to look at the rest of the crew who were now all watching him expectantly. He straightened his shoulders.

"Okay, look-I know it sounds crazy but Harry can read minds." Nate snorted, Sophie rolled her eyes and Parker's mouth dropped open in shock. Eliot however looked at the thin man appraisingly. "It's the truth." Hardison insisted "Anytime you make eye contact he gets surface thoughts, if he pushes he can get deeper. With enough time and determination he can get anything out of your head."

"You can't honestly expect us to believe that." Sophie objected. "It's impossible."

"I know it is, but it is also true. When Harry came to us he was fifteen, covered in all kinds of cuts and bruises. He didn't and still doesn't remember anything before waking up in a hospital bed a week before Nana took him home."

"That's not true. I remember blue eyes." Harry cut in gaining an eye roll from Hardison.

"Right, which is super helpful Harry. Right from the beginning it was obvious Harry wasn't a normal kid. He'd answer our thoughts, he never got hungry, if he gets too close to anything electronic it breaks. He fights like a badass too but he doesn't know when he learned it. After she got Harry Nana stopped taking in other kids. We weren't sure what would happen if people found out about him."

"Right I'm going to need some proof." Nate spoke briskly "Harry what am I thinking?"

Harry looked up and met Nate's eyes before another smirk worked it's way onto his lips.

"The theme to Yellow Submarine. You're wondering if I'm the real deal or if it's some kind of act and if you can use me. You're thinking about Sophie and what she looked like that night." Nate jerked his head back breaking eye contact.

"What night?" Parker asked causing Eliot to snicker and Sophie to blush.

"Alright fine, so you can read minds. Why are you here?" Nate asked clearly trying to brush past what Harry had said. Harry shrugged.

"I picked up the address off an Interpol agent and I was curious."

"An Interpol Agent?" Sophie asked.

"James Sterling." Eliot spoke and got only a nod in return. Suddenly Harry brightened and turned to Hardison.

"A filthier minded bloke I've never met Alec. You wouldn't believe some of the things he had in mind for me. Made it bloody hard to focus to be honest." Hardison looked sick.

"Ah man tell me you didn't! Not with Sterling, he's like the Magneto to our X-Men the Lex Luthor to my Superman!" Harry laughed.

"No I didn't, after I caught your address I left him at the bar. It was tempting though, I'm not even sure half the things he imagined were possible but I would have had a memorable night finding out."

"That's just-Gross man I did not need that mental picture." Hardison shuddered but Harry just laughed.

"It's your loss, he's a bit obsessed with you lot, I could have done a redirect for you."

"What's a redirect?" Parker asked before quickly diverting her eyes when Harry glanced at her. Harry smirked but didn't respond instead turning expectantly to Hardison.

"Uhh. . .yeah-about that." Hardison broke off rubbing his chin thoughtfully before shooting a pleading glance at his brother.

"It's just what it sounds like," Harry replied. "It was Alec's idea to try it, way back when. No doubt the result of one too many comic books."

Eliot caught on before the other's. His body tensed as he stared down the smaller man.

"Are you sayin' you can control somebody's thoughts? Hardison! Is that what he's saying?" Eliot demanded and Hardison shrugged.

"Calm down." Harry said mildly from where he still sat eating his breakfast. "It's not an easy thing to do exactly. More like I can plant a thought, it doesn't force anyone to do anything. Just suggests it."

"Like what?" Sophie asked leaning in eagerly. Harry smirked.

"Anything really, it all depends on the mind and how deep I plant it. The trick is to plant a thought that feels genuine. If I know a person's mind well enough it's easy." Harry paused and glanced briefly over at Hardison as he spoke. "The thought will seem like their own and they'll see no reason to fight it."

As Harry spoke Hardison walked over to start moving the dishes from his earlier cooking into the sink.

"This works especially well if it's something they want to do anyway." Harry paused and looked over at Hardison. Eliot followed his gaze and watched as Hardison moved from putting the plates up in the cupboard before casually crossing the room and sweeping Parker into a passionate kiss. Harry laughed lowly and despite himself Eliot felt his heart rate pick up at the sound.

"Whereas if it's something you're don't want to do, I have to plant it deeper."

Hardison finally came up for air, looking a bit dazed. Beside him Parker was his head Hardison turned to glare at Harry where he was still sitting at the table.

"Ah man! That's not cool Harry! NOT COOL." Harry just grinned over his shoulder and shrugged.

"You loved it."

"So how do you plant it deeper?" Parker asked eyes wide and curious despite her slightly flushed cheeks. Hardison quickly began shaking his head but Harry spoke anyway.

"Sex usually." Harry replied "That's the easiest anyway."

Nate began to cough and Sophie flushed.

"How did you figure that out?" Sophie asked and Harry suddenly looked uncomfortable.

"Accidentally." He replied, before moving his hands up to run through his dark hair. Eliot spotted another lightning bolt scar, this one smaller and older cut into his forehead. "Anyway I'm tired. I'm gonna go run down a place to crash."

Harry stood quickly but Hardison caught his arm as Harry passed him.

"Don't be stupid, you're staying at my place. I set a room up for you when I bought the place." Harry nodded.

"Alright I'll see you later then." Harry replied before striding out of the room.

* * *

><p>There were several moments of tense silence after Harry left the room. Hardison looked around before clearing his throat awkwardly and turning to Eliot. He gestured to the game still playing on the big screen.<p>

"Looks like the Bulls are in the lead." He said before moving as though to take his place back on the sofa. Eliot caught his arm.

"No way man, how is it we've known you for years and never once have you mentioned this guy?" Eliot demanded but Hardison just shrugged.

"It never came up and besides none of you would have believed me if I told you I had brother that could read minds."

"I'm still not sure I believe you." Sophie replied softly with her lips pulled into a slight frown. Nate shifted uncomfortably.

"It shouldn't be possible but I can't argue with what I saw. If he wasn't reading my mind I sure don't know what he was doing. It was pretty impressive." Nate admitted as he poured himself a drink, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"No way Nate," Hardison said quickly shaking his head "I know that look but you can't bring Harry into a con."

"Why not?" Eliot asked, though his face hadn't lost the scowl he'd been wearing since Harry delved into his mind.

"He's a wild card, unpredictable. Besides he can't stay connected on comm's, the circuitry is delicate Harry'd fry them if he got within a foot of them." Hardison informed them adamantly.

"Sure, that would be an issue." Nate agreed with his nod but his face remained thoughtful. Hardison sighed and looked around.

"Where's Parker?"

* * *

><p>Author's Note: HOLY MOLY! I can't believe you guys left me thirty-one reviews! *Happy dance* I'm so glad you're as excited about this story as I am!<p>

**A few people asked about cannon-this is pretty divergent from HP Cannon (obviously). I can't give you the details now because it would ruin the story but you will get the details with time I PROMISE! As far as Leverage this is around season two but I never like to write things that have already happened in episodes(The classic FF trope of all the same stuff happens but slightly different) Not that I have anything against those sorts of stories, I read them and often like them but it's not how I write. So the job(s) will be an original one conceived by me.**

I know this is short but I hope to have a new update out in a day or two. My keyboard broke(I.E. Had milk poured on it by a 3 year old) and I just replaced it with a WASHABLE ONE! Which I'm pretty excited about but anyway that's why this is so short but with the great response I wanted to get something out to you in the meantime.

Please continue your great reviews I'm eager to hear your thoughts!


	3. Chapter 3

_It was Alec that started it all. He'd known it at the hospital, there Harry had been. This too small teenager with big eyes and no memories who had looked over at Hardison and answered his thoughts. Right then he knew, Alec Hardison had just found himself in the middle of an Origin Story. Because if this kid could read minds so easily, that made him a superhero in Alec's book. That night after they'd all left the hospital and returned home Alec had lay awake in the bed above Harry. He thought about everything he knew from comic books and movies. He knew that all superhero's need someone to mentor them, guide them down the right path._

_Alec Hardison decided that, that was exactly what he was going to do._

_With his help who knew what Harry could do? Besides Harry was a mess and it was obvious someone had done that to him. If those people came after Harry again Alec knew he'd need to be prepared._

_The first few weeks were the hardest. Harry was an oddity which made settling in at Orwell High difficult. He was gaped at everywhere he went and constantly bombarded by the thoughts of his classmates and teachers. In addition to his daytime troubles Hardison knew Harry suffered terrible nightmares. More than once Alec had been awoken by Harry's agonized screams. When Harry awoke he could remember little of his dreams, only bright flashes of light and agonizing pain._

_"What do people think about?" Came Alec's curious inquiry after weeks of holding it back. Harry gave him a startled look before answering._

_"Sex."_

_"Really?"_

_"Yeah, at first I thought it was just because we're in high school but even the teachers think about it all the time." Harry replied with a grimace of distaste._

_"No way!" Alec objected more out of disgust than doubt. Harry nodded._

_"Mr. Jacobs wants to have sex with Tina Jansen." Alec couldn't hold back a gag as he pictured his sixty something history teacher with the head cheerleader._

_"That's absolutely vile man, you can't be serious."_

_"It was all he could think about yesterday, I hid in the bathroom for the last twenty minutes of class just to get away from it."_

_"There's gotta be a way to help, I'll do some research." Alec promised. Harry smiled but Alec could tell the other boy didn't expect much._

_Alec did not allow Harry's lack of faith to deter him. He turned to the two most reliable sources he had access too his personal comic book collection and an online community of superhero enthusiasts. Alec posted a short hypothetical about how budding mind readers learned to control their gifts. It sparked a flurry of responses that mostly settled on the same conclusion. Meditation._

_Before Alec had settled on this resolution, an off hand comment would serve to change both their lives. It happened one friday afternoon, Harry lay on his bed reading a chapter in his history book as Alec lounged on the floor doing his "research" also know as reading through some of his older comics._

_"You know Professor X reads minds." Alec volunteered, more to break the silence than anything else._

_"I don't know who that is." Harry didn't even look up from his book. Alec didn't like Harry's lack of attention so he stood and moved beside him on the bed sliding his comic book on top of Harry's history book._

_"He's the leader of the X-Men, look." Alec pointed but Harry's eyes were drawn to the side resting on Cyclops._

_"I wonder if that would work for me."_

_"What?" Hardison asked in confusion._

_"Covering my eyes. I mean I only know what you're thinking when you look in my eyes, so if my eyes were covered maybe I wouldn't hear you." Harry's eyes were wide and hopeful, so Alec nodded._

_"I've got a pair of sunglasses, you wanna try it?" Harry nodded as Hardison moved to shuffle through his top dresser drawer for the glasses. A moment later Hardison held them out and Harry placed them over his eyes. Alec came to stand in front of him but after a moment Harry shook his head._

_"It's no good, I can still see what you're thinking." Harry's shoulders slumped and he moved to take off the glass._

_"No wait! It's still good. Think about it, you only see thoughts when you look into people's eyes right? Well with the glasses no one can tell where you're looking! Even if you can't block it out at least they'll help avoid it." Harry seemed to consider this for a long moment before nodding his head._

_"You're right. At least it's something. Do you mind if I borrow them Alec?" Harry bit his lip anxiously as if he expected Alec to slap the glasses out of his hand but his foster brother just smiled._

_"Nah man keep 'em. They look better on you anyway." Harry's grateful smile was enough to make Alec look back at his comic for a distraction. His eyes landed on Professor X and a thought occured him._

_"You know Professor X didn't just read minds, he could control them."_

_Harry didn't respond and when Alec glanced up at him his eyes were still obscured by the glasses Alec had provided._

* * *

><p><em>The break between classes was only ten minutes, so Alec was less than thrilled when Harry's hand clamped down on his and pulled him between the doors of school. Each exit had two separate sets of glass double doors, in a bid to keep cold winter weather outside, the small room this formed between them was one of the few places in the school that was reliably empty. Alec jerked his arm from Harry's grasp and was preparing several not very nice words for him when Harry spoke and derailed everything.<em>

_"I tried it." A hushed whisper, Harry was wearing the sunglasses but now Hardison noticed that Harry was even paler than usual with only his cheeks flushed bright red._

_"Tried what?"_

_"I made the nurse write me a note." Harry replied pulling a scrap of paper from his pocket and waving it in Alec's face._

_Alec reached up and captured the note from between Harry's fingers. It was scrawled somewhat jerkily on the school stationary in regular blue ink._

**_Harry Doe has permission to wear sunglasses as needed while in classes due to an acute light sensitivity._**

**_Nurse Adriana Kent_**

_Alec glanced at Harry, puzzled by the expectant look on his face._

_"That's a good idea, now the teachers won't bug you but I still don't understand what you're talking about."_

_"She didn't want to give it to me. She wanted to do a bunch of tests but I made her. I thought it as hard as I could. I tried to make it sound like things she would think and then she just. . .wrote it." Harry shrugged his face slack with amazement even after the fact. Alec could only gape at him. He'd never really believed Harry could control people's minds, even with the mind reading that just seemed like too much._

* * *

><p><em>A week later Alec convinced Harry to start meditating with him. They did it together an hour in the morning and an hour at night. Harry struggled at first, he had an active mind but Alec urged him to keep trying. Alec had noticed right from the bat how desperate to please Harry was toward both himself and Nana. Alec knew Harry was desperate for their approval and he used this against his troubled foster brother to keep him meditating.<em>

_A few weeks into their daily exercises something seemed to click for Harry. Meditation became so easy for him he maintained it constantly. He began to move through the world with an eerie calm. Harry wasn't able to stop reading thoughts but his new calmer self combined with the sun glasses made it easier for him live in the world, unshaken by the thoughts of those around him._

_It was several months later after Alec and Harry had become as close as real brothers, that Alec offered himself up as a test subject for Harry's mind control. The turning point came for Alec after Harry had saved him once again from being beaten up by a boy he'd offended.. Harry saved Alec a lot from things like that because his smart mouth could get him into trouble. More and more these fights were avoided as word of mouth spread that Harry Doe knew some crazy fighting moves and would kick your ass if you messed with his foster brother. _

_Alec decided that since Harry always did everything he could to help him Alec had to do the same. He'd suggested it to Harry one quiet Friday night as they worked on their homework and Harry had agreed at once._

* * *

><p>Parker stayed quiet as she tailed Harry from Nate's apartment. She was careful to stay far enough behind, so that the mind reader would never spot her. She didn't understand why Hardison had never mentioned his brother and she wanted to know more about him. It didn't take long for Harry to reach Hardison's home. Hardison had always had a flair for the dramatic and his residence in Portland was no exception. Built around the same time the city was settled the old house looked more like a castle complete with turrets and climbing ivy.<p>

Parker had been there before and had scoped out all the best entry points. She waited until Harry was securely inside the house to scale one of the trees and drop into a third story window. She'd left it open the last time Hardison had invited her to visit. Not because she ever intended to steal from him but because it was always good to have a point of entry. Once she landed silently on the carpeted floor she crept out of the room listening closely for sounds of Harry moving.

The house was too large to make anything out, the walls were old and made noises of their own making it hard for Parker to tell what was normal and what was not. She considered briefly before deciding to check downstairs. After all she could always work her way back up if she needed to. The staircase was the riskiest place, there was only one grand one connecting all the floors so Parker moved slowly, keeping close to the wall.

Quite happily Parker caught sight of Hardison's brother entering a room on the very next floor. She crept down the hall body tense and ready to move out of sight at a moments notices but Harry didn't emerge from the room. It felt like forever before Parker found herself next to the door, it had been left open only a crack and she moved cautiously to peer inside. She couldn't see Harry and after waiting several minutes Parker pushed the door open slightly to get a better view.

The room strange but also nice. A king sized bed was the central point in the room, it was draped in a homey looking quilt and several pillow in varying colors. The room was painted sky blue and one wall was a dedicated bookshelf that had been filled with books. Parker still seeing no sign of Harry decided to move into the room to check if it had another exit. Once inside she looked around in confusion, the window was closed and locked from the inside and the only door was the one she'd been watching since Harry entered it.

"It's a nice room right?" Harry voice behind her shouldn't have startled her but it did causing her to jump and twirl around. She looked up at Harry before remembering that he read minds through the eyes and clamping hers tightly shut.

"Are you reading my mind right now?!" Parker demanded, her voice low and full of distrust. She heard a soft laugh in response.

"No, your eyes are closed. Here I'll put on sunglasses, it'll make you feel better." Harry's voice was soft and friendly. Parker slowly peek out of one eyelid to make out Harry's movements and he took out a pair of sunglasses and slid them over his eyes. Once they were one Parker slowly opened her own eyes.

"Does that stop you from reading my mind?" She asked curiously and frowned as Harry shook his head.

"Not really, but it makes it easier to avoid eye contact. Plus you'll be less aware of it happening so you won't have to worry about it so much." Parker slammed her eyes closed again.

"I don't want you to read my mind at all!"

"Look Parker, I'll do my best okay? But sometimes eye contact happens and when it does I'll know what you're thinking. I can't stop it and neither can you." Parker had always appreciated brutal honesty. She'd never understood why people felt the need to tiptoe around certain things. So despite her own discomfort she opened her eyes again.

"What about what you did to Hardison?" Parker asked eyeing the man in front of her.

"I would never do that without permission." Harry assured her but Parker narrowed her eyes.

"Hardison didn't give you permission."

"He did, not verbally but in his thoughts. Besides it would be much harder for me to make you do something. I've been inside Alec's head so often I know it as well as my own that makes it easy to plant thoughts and ideas that his mind won't reject."As Harry spoke he moved across the room to sit on the bed facing Parker. She followed his movements but remained standing stiffly as she examined him.

"Are you going to tell Hardison what I'm thinking?"Parker demanded voicing her worst fear since learning of Harry's gift.

"Certainly not, you needn't worry so much Parker!" Parker was not reassured however and continued to eye Harry warily.

"You told him what everyone was thinking earlier and what Sterling was thinking." Parker pointed out and Harry shrugged.

"That's different, Sterling's just some bloke. He wasn't my friend I would never do that to a friend." Harry spoke softly but Parker didn't find his words all that comforting.

"But I'm not your friend." She pointed out with a frown pulling her lips downward.

"You could be, Alec likes you anyway and I don't want you to be afraid of me. Besides I don't have many, people tend to be unsettled by me." Again it was the directness of Harry's approach that made Parker inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt. Besides she'd never really had a friend before. Sure her alias Alice had one friend but Parker never had one that knew who she really was. The team was different of course, they were all part of the team more like family than friends in Parker's eyes.

"If I'm your friend will you tell me what other people are thinking?" Parker's eyes flashed in anticipation.

"Sure, unless I think it will emotionally scar you." Was Harry's easy reply as a smile played around his lips.

"Okay," Parker started seriously "I accept your offer. We are now friends."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's notes: Sorry for the long delay on this update. I really hope you all love it! Please give me lots of reviews!<strong>


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